Operating unit comprising at least one operating element

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an operator control unit having at least one operator control for setting a setpoint value, in particular a temperature, an air quantity and/or an air distribution, an automatic function being provided for the air quantity, air distribution and temperature which is activated by actuating the operator control.  
     The invention provides that, by actuating the operator control for longer than an actuation time z, the setpoint values of functions which are controlled directly or indirectly by the air-conditioning unit are reset to the automatic state which is permanently set at the factory.

[0001] The invention relates to an operator control unit having at least one operator control according to the genus-forming features of Claim 1.

[0002] An operator control unit of the generic type having at least one operator control is known, for example, from DE 199 26 652 C1 in which an operator control which has a plurality of functions is provided. The operator control is embodied as a momentary contact switch. This momentary contact switch switches, when actuated normally, between fresh air supply and recirculated mode, that is to say is used to make manual settings in accordance with the driver's request. If the switch is, however, actuated by means of a double click, this leads to the setting of the automatic mode. The automatic mode is therefore set by a double rapid actuation within a highly restricted time window.

[0003] In this type of operator control unit having at least one operator control, it is disadvantageous that only one automatic function can be called using the operator control. It is in particular not possible to set and call a plurality of automatic functions using a single operator control.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide an operator control unit with an operator control function which combines a plurality of automatic functions, but remains user-friendly for the operator.

[0005] According to the invention, the object is achieved by means of the features of Claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the subject-matter of the invention are characterized by the features of the subclaims.

[0006] In this type of operator control unit, it is advantageous that the operator can set a plurality of automatic functions using one operator control, and can also store presettings for the automatic function, which can be reset again. In this way, the operator can store a set temperature setpoint value as an automatic value by actuating just one operator control, which automatic value can be called by actuating the operator control and can also be reset to the value predefined at the works. Furthermore, the air quantity and the air distribution can also be set automatically by calling the automatic function. An automatic function can thus be stored, called and reset again over the actuation time of the operator control.

[0007] The invention is explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with a description of the figures.

[0008]FIG. 1 shows an operator control unit having at least one operator control with all-auto function, and

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a method sequence of the all-auto function.

[0010]FIG. 1 shows an operator control unit 1 having an operator control 2 with what is referred to as an “all-auto function” 3 for an automatic air-conditioning system. The operator control unit also has two further operator controls 3 a, 3 c. The operator control 3 a is used to set the air quantity, and thus to set the blower stage. The operator control 3 c is used to set air distribution for distributing the air to the individual outlet nozzles in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Furthermore, at this operator control 3 b, it is also possible to activate the heatable rear window and it has a function for switching off the air-conditioning of the rear part of the passenger compartment. Switching off the air-conditioning at the rear part of the passenger compartment is appropriate if no-one is sitting in the rear part of the passenger compartment so that the space to the rear does not need to be air-conditioned. The power can then be sufficient for the optimum setting of the front part of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. By actuating this operator control 3, the air quantity, the air distribution and the setpoint temperature are set automatically. The operator control 3 also serves to store another temperature setpoint value desired by the driver. Thus, many vehicle occupants desire a somewhat warmer passenger compartment temperature. By setting the desired temperature setpoint value on the operator control 2, these vehicle occupants can store said value by actuating the automatic pushbutton key 3 for a predefined actuation time of, for example, longer than x=10 seconds and call it by actuating said key again for less than y=3 seconds. The temperature setpoint value is reset to a value which is preset at the works or predefined by actuating the operator control 3 over an actuation time of longer than z=3 seconds. At the same time, further functions, for example a defrost function which was activated on the operator control 4, can also be deactivated or the air-conditioning in the rear part of the passenger compartment which was deactivated on the operator control 5 is activated again. Both the defrost function and the rear-off function can be activated by, in each case, an operator control 4 and 5 in the operator control unit 1. It is also possible to deactivate the 4-zone air-conditioning by means of an operator control. These functions which can usually be actuated individually by one operator control each can be switched off when resetting occurs. All the functions which can be activated by means of a separate operator control can be reset here. The heatable rear window can also be activated in this way on the operator control 3 c. This function can also be reset with the “all-auto function”, that is to say the heatable rear window can also be switched off. This is carried out by actuating the operator control 3 for an actuation time of longer than 3 seconds.

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a method sequence for the all-auto function. The all-auto function can be actuated by means of an operator control 3 as shown in FIG. 1. At 10, an interrogation relating to the actuation time takes place. If the actuation time x<3 s, the automatic function is activated at 20. In the case of an actuation time x>3 s, a further interrogation takes place to determine whether the actuation time x<10 s, consequently with a different threshold value. In the case of an actuation time of x<10 s [lacuna] At 30 the temperature setpoint value which was set by the operator is overwritten [lacuna] the temperature setpoint value as set at the works or already defined, by actuating the operator control 3 for an actuation time of 10 seconds. This value is then called at 20 if the operator control 3 is actuated for a time period of less than 3 seconds. In addition, the setpoint values for the air quantity and the air distribution are then also called and set by the air-conditioning controller. All the values are reset at 30 by actuating the operator control 3 for an actuation time of over 3 seconds and less than 10 seconds. The storage, the overwriting and the interrogation consequently take place over the actuation time of the operator control. The operator control is, for example, a momentary contact switch; the time for which the operator control is held pressed in is therefore the actuation time. 

1. Operator control unit (1) having at least one operator control (2) for setting a setpoint value, in particular a temperature, an air quantity and/or an air distribution, an automatic function, which is activated by actuating the operator control (3), being provided for the air quantity, air distribution and temperature, characterized in that, by actuating the operator control (3) for longer than an actuation time z, the setpoint values or functions which are controlled directly or indirectly by the air-conditioning device are reset to the automatic state which is permanently set at the factory.
 2. Operator control according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the setpoint values which is set at the operator controls (3 a, 3 b, 3 c) is stored by actuating the operator control (3) for longer than an actuation time x.
 3. Operator control according to claim 1 and/or claim 2, characterized in that the stored setpoint value is called, and the automatic function is activated, by actuating the operator control (3) for less than an actuation time y.
 4. Operator control unit having at least one operator control according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the actuation time x is 10 seconds, the actuation time y is 3 seconds and the actuation time z is 3 seconds.
 5. Operator control unit having at least one operator control according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, as a further function, any function which can be activated by means of an operator control is deactivated by means of the automatic function.
 6. Operator control unit having at least one operator control according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the defrost function (4), the rear-off function (5) for deactivating the air-conditioning in the rear part of the passenger compartment or the function for deactivating the 4-zone air-conditioning can be deactivated as a function by means of the automatic function. 